K-12 Lens: A Survey Report from Frontline Education

Summary

Every day, K-12 district leaders make decisions that shape their schools: hiring great educators, keeping students engaged, and making the most of every dollar. For the second year, “K-12 Lens: A Survey Report from Frontline Education” presents insights from nearly 800 administrators across 49 states and Washington D.C., offering a clear picture of what’s working and where districts are making the most progress.

Key Trends

• Hiring and retention are improving, but key roles remain tough to fill.
  Fewer districts report teacher shortages (66%, down from 81% in 2023), and hiring is getting easier. The average teacher retention rate is 78%, with the highest success in districts that invest in professional development aligned to teachers’ needs and goals.
• Student support services are bringing more kids back to the classroom.
  17% of students at the average district are chronically absent, but districts without in-house mental and behavioral health support see much higher rates (34%). Schools using early warning indicators in the primary grades also report improvements, and more are outsourcing specialized services to better support students.
• Better budget planning is helping districts do more with their resources.
  Fewer districts face major funding cuts, and confidence in budget projections is up 15 percentage points from last year. Among finance leaders using analytics software tools, 93% say their forecasts are highly accurate, which helps them plan ahead and invest where it matters most.

A Tool for Reflection

The goal of this report is to share data that encourages reflection. With these insights, district leaders can assess trends, compare strategies, and align their schools with broader shifts in K-12 education. Whether it’s staffing, student support, or financial planning, these findings offer a reference point for informed decision-making and long-term success.

Introduction

Since 1969, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has tracked student academic progress through The Nation’s Report Card, a comprehensive assessment released every two years. Providing national, state, and district-level insights, this report serves as a critical tool for educators and policymakers, shaping research and guiding decisions that drive meaningful improvements in education.  

But while we have decades of data on how students are performing, there’s far less research on what’s happening behind the scenes inside district finance offices, human resources (HR) departments, and student services teams. We know how students are doing, but how do the schools that serve them manage their operations? Are districts staffed effectively? Do they have the funding they need to function? Are student support systems keeping pace with evolving needs?

The narrative around K-12 education in 2025 is now familiar: teacher shortages strain districts, recruiting is tougher than ever, retention remains a challenge, and chronic absenteeism is on the rise. At the same time, administrators face tight budgets, growing cybersecurity concerns, and increasing pressure to support student mental health.

But how much of this reflects reality in 2025? And where are districts making progress?

To find out, we surveyed nearly 800 K-12 administrators from 49 states and Washington, D.C., in November and December 2024, asking them about staffing, professional learning, student support, budgeting, and technology management. Because this report is being released in 2025, we refer to these findings as our 2025 data. Now, with two years of data, we can see what’s improving, what’s getting harder, and what strategies are making an impact.

Here’s what we found:  

Findings at a Glance